Let's Go Luna! Explained

Creator:	Joe Murray
Director:	Dave Brown Steve Daye Matt Mitchell
Theme Music Composer:	Jeffrey Bernstein
Opentheme:	"Let's Go Luna, Let's Go!"
Endtheme:	"Let's Go Luna, Let's Go!" (instrumental)
Language:	English
Num Seasons:	2
Num Episodes:	64
Executive Producer:	Joe Murray Vince Commisso Peter Hannan
Producer:	Charley Thomas
Runtime:	24 minutes
Company:	9 Story Media Group Brown Bag Films
Network:	PBS Kids (U.S.) TVOKids (Canada)

Let's Go Luna! is an educational animated children's television series created by Joe Murray that aired on PBS Kids. Murray formerly worked on the Nickelodeon animated series Rocko's Modern Life and Cartoon Network animated series Camp Lazlo. It is co-produced by 9 Story Media Group.^[1] Judy Greer provides the voice of the titular Luna.^[2] In the first season, there are 38 half-hour episodes and a one-hour special. The second season has 26 episodes and premiered on May 10, 2021.^[3] Each episode consists of two 11-minute story segments, with a short segment of one of the characters telling a folktale, song or poem from that country in between.

Unlike Rocko's Modern Life and Camp Lazlo which are both sitcoms, Let's Go Luna! marks the first educational series created by Joe Murray. The series aired 64 episodes through November 18, 2022.^[4]

Premise

Let's Go Luna! sets in a world populated by anthropomorphic animals, focuses on three kids—Leo, a wombat from Sydney, Australia, Andy, a frog from the United States and Carmen, a butterfly from Mexico City, Mexico—who travel around the world with their parents' traveling performance troupe "Circo Fabuloso". Along their stops, Luna the Moon, depicted about 5feet tall with arms, legs and a face, and wearing a straw hat and red boots, occasionally comes down to Earth to teach them about local languages, music, food, and other customs. Two half-hour episodes, consisting of two segments each and four in total, take place in a single country where the gang stop at, learn about and meet friends around the world. With a team of cultural anthropologists on board, Let's Go Luna! is "meticulously researched to ensure cities and regions are authentically and respectfully portrayed".^[5]

Characters

Main

• Luna (speaking voice by Judy Greer; singing voices by Judy Greer in 2018–19, Erin Fitzgerald in 2019–20, and Liane de Lotbinère in 2020) is Earth's Moon herself, who guides Leo, Andy, and Carmen on their trips during the daytime. Luna knows every person in the world and has magical capabilities. Her size gives her a problem with doorways and enclosed spaces, often involving a degree of uncomfortable squeezing to enter. She also has an uncontrollable urge to dance when she hears happy music.
• Leo Chockers (voiced by Yana Gold in 2018 and Shayle Simons in 2018–22) is a wombat from Australia who loves food. He is learning to become a cook like his father.
• Andy Hopper (voiced by Jaiden Cannatelli in 2018–20 and Evan O'Donnell in 2020–22) is a frog from the United States who loves art.
• Carmen Mariposa (voiced by Saara Chaudry) is a butterfly who loves music. She plays a Spanish guitar that was handed down from her deceased grandmother and speaks with a Mexican accent.
• Magic Globe (voiced by Miku Graham) is a miniature globe of the world that lives in Carmen's pocket and can share information about the places that the children visit.

Recurring

• Señor Moncarlo Fabuloso (voiced by Paul Braunstein) is a flamingo and the ringmaster of the Circo Fabuloso. He speaks with a Spanish accent.
• Mr. Hockbar (voiced by David Berni) is a vole who does many of the 'behind the scenes' jobs such as selling tickets, setting up the Circo's schedule and making certain everything runs smoothly. He is full of energy and has a tendency to get worked up and rush around when many things need doing, which can stress out the other members of the Circo. His full name is revealed to be Hock Thelonious Bar.
• Honey (voiced by Zoe Hatz) is Carmen's mischievous yellow pet hamster. She often escapes from her cage, but it is only because she is curious and wishes to be included.
• Maria Mariposa (voiced by Tamara Almeida) is Carmen's single mother, and the conductor of the Circo Fabuloso Band.
• Wolfgang (voiced by Paul Braunstein) and Pippa Chockers (voiced by Linda Ballantyne) are Leo's parents who work at the Circo. Wolfgang is the Circo's chef (who loves Dad jokes) and Pippa is the Circo's carpenter.
• Mathilda Chockers is Leo's destructive baby sister.
• Wrinkles is Leo's pet tortoise.
• Lucie Hopper (voiced by Carolyn Scott) is Andy's mother, and the Circo's costume designer.
• Sam Hopper (voiced by Dan Chameroy) is Andy's father and Circo's prop-maker.
• Bonjour and Au Revoir (both voiced by Peter Cugno) are twin brothers who work as clowns. Bonjour's mask is purple and Au Revoir's is green. They both speak with French accents.
• Ingrid Svenson-Benson (voiced by Brigitte Solem) is a centipede and the Circo's contortionist. She speaks with a Swedish accent.
• Salami Strong (voiced by Paul Braunstein) is an alligator and the Circo's strongman. He speaks with an Italian accent.
• Pablo (voiced by Cory Doran) is an armadillo who performs with the Melvinis, a group of six living bowling pins.
• The Acronauts are a trio of acorn-shaped bears who perform as acrobats.
• The Fearless Shrews (all three voiced by David Berni) are a trio of shrews who perform as trapeze artists. They speak with Peruvian accents.
• Wally is a gray walrus wearing brown pants, a red shirt, and a battered brown hat, with a camera around his neck. The character often appears as a tourist, as he makes an appearance as a background character in every story, usually taking photographs and infrequently has a speaking role.

Episodes

Let's Go Luna!: Luna's Christmas Around the World

A TV special named Let's Go Luna!: Christmas Around the World aired on December 10, 2018. Here, the Circo gets stuck in Antarctica after their captain gets wasted on fruit cake.

Production and distribution

The show was first announced on July 31, 2017, as part of the PBS TCA presentation. PBS broadcasts the show on its stations and also airs on the 24-hour PBS Kids channel, as well as the PBS Kids video app. Let's Go Luna! offers digital content for kids, parents and teachers, debuting from its PBS Kids website and a Luna app was also confirmed and would have been released shortly after the series' debut. However, the app ceased development and is on the PBS Kids video and games apps. There was also an Elinor Wonders Why app, but the series was placed on the PBS Kids video and games apps as well. 9 Story International Distribution owns managing and merchandising rights to the show outside Canada.^[6] It is also one of a few shows for preschoolers and PBS' first storyboard-driven show where storyboard artists work with the writers, in order to create "visually-driven narratives that highlight each city's distinctive landscape and features".^[5] It was originally going to be titled Luna Around the World but was changed to Let's Go Luna!.

International broadcast

The show aired on Nat Geo Kids in Latin America and streaming on Max in the same region.^[7] In Spain, the show airs on Canal Panda. In Italy, it airs on Rai Yoyo. In Canada, the show airs on TVOKids and Knowledge Kids. In Turkey, the show will air on TRT Çocuk. In the half-hour broadcast of Let's Go Luna! on TVOKids, the short segment that occurs between the two 11-minute story segments of the show is kept in the broadcast instead of being removed.

Home video

Five episodes were released on DVD on February 11, 2020.^[8] Episodes were also released on PBS Kids compilation DVDs in 2020.^{[9] [10]}

Reception

Critical response

The Washington Post wrote that the program is "Teaching tolerance, kindness and friendship."^[11]

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result	Ref.
2020		Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool Children	Let's Go Luna!
	Daytime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Preschool Animated Program	Michael Mancuso
		Outstanding Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program	Michael Mancuso, Joe Tetreau, Ryan Eligh, Dante Winkler, Matthew McKenzie

Merchandise

On May 18, 2022, Mighty Mojo released plush toys of the main characters throughout its show.^{[12] [13] [14] [15]}

External links

• Official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: PBS KIDS Gets Refreshed 'Ruff Ruffman,' Joe Murray's 'Luna Around the World'. Mercedes Milligan. Animation Magazine. July 31, 2017. July 23, 2018.
2. Web site: 'Let's Go Luna!': Judy Greer Leads Voice Cast For New PBS Kids Series – Watch An Exclusive Clip. Erik Pedersen. Deadline Hollywood. May 9, 2018. May 10, 2018.
3. Web site: 'Let's Go Luna!' Embarks on New Adventures with S2 Greenlight. Mercedes. Milligan. May 6, 2021.
4. Web site: Joe Murray - Artist, writer, creator, producer - Joe Murray Studio Inc. LinkedIn . LinkedIn.
5. Web site: PBS KIDS Gets Refreshed 'Ruff Ruffman,' Joe Murray's 'Luna Around the World'. Mary Anne Lane. Georgia Public Broadcasting. November 15, 2018. December 6, 2018.
6. Web site: PBS Kids Greenlights 'Luna Around The World' Animated Series – TCA. Denise Petski. Deadline Hollywood. July 30, 2017. July 23, 2018.
7. Web site: Nat Geo Kids snaps up three shows from 9 Story. Alexander Whyte. Kidscreen. November 14, 2018. December 6, 2018.
8. Web site: Let's Go Luna!: Friendship Around the World DVD. February 11, 2020. Amazon.
9. Web site: PBS KIDS: 15 Frozen Tales DVD. February 11, 2020. Amazon.
10. Web site: PBS Kids: 15 Pet-Tastic Tails!. May 12, 2020. Amazon.
11. News: What to watch with your kids: 'Let's Go Luna!,' 'Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny' and more. November 29, 2018. The Washington Post.
12. Web site: Luna the Moon Plush. May 18, 2022. Mighty Mojo Toys.
13. Web site: Carmen Plush. May 18, 2022. Mighty Mojo Toys.
14. Web site: Leo Plush. May 18, 2022. Mighty Mojo Toys.
15. Web site: Andy Plush. May 18, 2022. Mighty Mojo Toys.